Chapter Sixty-Two: Officially Becoming a Disciple

After an indeterminate amount of time, the elemental shield before Lando vanished, and he stepped out of the apparatus.

Blinking, he showed a puzzled expression; he felt that the number of people in the hall had increased considerably since he entered the testing device, and the hostility he sensed upon first arriving was now completely absent.

At that moment, he noticed an elderly man standing before the detector, with Otto standing behind him in a somewhat deferential manner.

The old man caught Lando’s gaze and offered a kindly smile.

Despite the warmth in the smile, an inexplicable chill crept into Lando’s heart, leaving him rather bewildered.

He hurried forward, just as Otto said, “This is our Silver Tower Academy’s Headmaster, Rufus Boix.”

Lando quickly bowed in respect. “Headmaster!”

“Good, very good,” the headmaster replied.

Without further engagement, the headmaster strode away.

Once he left, Lando saw that many people let out a sigh of relief, Otto included, and suddenly he understood the awe this headmaster inspired.

“Ahem, well, today’s testing has concluded. Does anyone have anything to say?” Otto surveyed the crowd, returning to his serene, detached demeanor as he asked.

“Tch, looks like you lucked out,” someone suddenly remarked, then disregarded the others and departed.

The rest of the crowd wore expressions of amusement, as though they were watching a play.

Carter sidled up to Lando and whispered, “That’s Crist Ers, Otto’s long-time rival.”

Lando nodded to show he understood.

“Since no one has anything more to say, I’ll proceed as usual,” Otto said with a smile after waiting a moment and receiving no response.

Knowing the matter was settled, the others said their farewells and left.

Soon, only Otto, Moritz, Carter, and Lando remained in the hall.

Otto turned to Lando. “I have something to say to you privately.”

Moritz and Carter seemed to have anticipated this and left at once; Carter even winked at Lando as he departed.

When only Otto and Lando were left, Otto spoke. “I intend to take you as my apprentice. What do you think?”

Lando was about to reply, but Otto quickly interrupted, “Wait, I almost forgot the protocol.”

“I know your situation very well; from the moment you entered the academy, I’ve been observing you. But during that period, I was at a crucial juncture and couldn’t come to see you, so there’s no need for introductions.”

“Let me tell you about myself, and the advantages of being my apprentice.”

“First, with your talent, you could easily secure a mentor among the legendary arcanists at the Silver Tower. But to have either of those two grand arcanists personally instruct you—well, you aren’t quite qualified yet. I, as a newly promoted grand arcanist, am undoubtedly more eligible than the others.”

“Second, the next rotation for the Speaker’s post is in three years, and for the following ten years, I will serve as Speaker. That means I can devote roughly thirteen years to guiding you, which should be ample time for you to find your path. After my tenure, I may be preoccupied with experiments, and we’ll see how things go then.”

Lando was somewhat bewildered; from what Otto said, being Speaker—managing the vast arcane empire—would still allow him time to teach Lando, but stepping down would actually leave him less time.

“Third, according to Silver Tower’s rules, once I step down as Speaker, I will immediately assume the role of Silver Tower’s new Master. In fact, I already wield the authority of Acting Master. Becoming my apprentice will assure you countless benefits within the Silver Tower!”

Lando was utterly astonished. The dignified heir to the Silver Tower’s leadership was openly poaching talents, arranging privileges for his apprentice—how marvelous!

Noticing Lando’s surprise, Otto explained with a hint of nonchalance, “Securing advantages for one’s apprentice is a fine tradition of our Arcane Empire.”

In his heart, Lando exclaimed, ‘A splendid tradition! This must never be lost! The more, the better!’

“And fourth, the most crucial point—Alice is also my apprentice, you know?”

Lando nodded, though he didn’t understand why Otto mentioned Alice.

“If you become my apprentice, you’ll be close at hand for her!” Otto said with a mischievous smile.

Lando straightened. “Otto, I am not that sort of person!”

“Alice’s father, grandfather, and maternal grandfather are all legendary arcanists. The two families own sixty percent of a floating city, and she is the most gifted and beloved jewel of her generation.”

After a brief silence, Lando reiterated earnestly, “Otto, I am not that sort of person!”

Otto was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter. “Good lad! For your thick skin alone, my assessment of you just went up another notch!”

“So, does this mean you’ve decided?”

“Yes, Mentor!” In truth, Lando had made up his mind from the start. Not only was Otto a grand arcanist capable of instructing him, but Otto’s unwavering support in many matters—even before meeting Lando—was enough to earn his respect.

“Excellent, it’s settled then.”

Lando blinked in confusion. Was that all? No ceremony or anything?

Sensing Lando’s puzzlement, Otto smiled. “Good traditions must be preserved, but unnecessary formalities are best dispensed with.”

“Let me think. I still have a laboratory in the academy’s research division. Though there’s little of worth left to study, the authority remains. I’ll grant you usage rights; you can apply for academy resources if you wish to conduct research.”

“In about seven months, a world laboratory will open. It’s a rather dull place, and you won’t learn anything particularly useful, but I think you should go at least once. Don’t ask why; I only understood after becoming a grand arcanist. If you want to go, I’ll secure a spot for you in the school’s quota.”

“Don’t expect resources outside the academy. My floating city is already slated for construction. Because I’m a grand arcanist, the Empire will grant me its most vital resource, and the Silver Tower will provide interest-free loans. I’ll be investing everything I’ve accumulated over the years. Once the city is built, I can grant you access, but don’t get your hopes up—it’s the kind of privilege that can be revoked at any time.”

“That’s it for now. I’m out of time today. Your instruction will formally begin tomorrow in my laboratory; the location has been sent to your smart core.”

“By the way, your aptitude test report has also been sent to you. Your talent is truly astonishing—your chances of becoming a grand arcanist have increased by at least twenty percent. Don’t squander it.”

Lando watched speechless as Otto departed in his usual whirlwind manner. Gazing around the now-empty hall, he could only shrug in resignation.